PHOENIX (CBS5) – A burnt home, a beloved couple murdered, and five people charged for crimes connected to it all. The tragedy and senselessness of it all comes together for Gary Elliott when he says you look at it through the eyes of an addict.

“Every crime that I ever committed on meth, I never thought it was going to go that way, but meth just takes you to a place where you just do what ever it takes to get it,” said Gary Elliott, a former meth addict.

Almost all of the suspects arrested in connection with the murder of Lawrence and Glenna Shapiro have previous drug violations. While investigators will not say for sure if drugs link the five suspects they also will not rule it out.

On two of the suspects’ Facebook pages there is an obvious change in their appearance.
A picture of Brittany Beinhauer that was taken more than a year ago compared to one recently shows a more gaunt look. The same change can be seen in a picture of Danielle Rossman taken about two years ago compared to a more recent one.

Elliott said it goes beyond appearance. Meth takes over your personality and, when hanging with the wrong people, things can go very wrong.

“I have friends that have done horrible things that they did not go in there looking for that, but something snaps something goes wrong and the next thing you know they are doing 25 years in prison,” said Elliott.

When the money for drugs runs out, Elliot said many addicts turn to crime – the same ones the suspects are accused of committing.

“If I could not find work or make it to work because I did not have the drugs then, yes, robbery, theft, burglary, yes, those are things that come to mind, and they are actually very easy,” said Elliott.

Readers Comments (1)

1. Robert Christman says:

   February 10, 2012 at 4:54 pm

   No trial, just fry them!

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